Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well. I want to begin by reflecting on today’s Remembrance Day Ceremony, which was truly inspiring and moving. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to making it such a special occasion. Our teachers, especially Ms. MacDougall, Ms. Rehman, Ms. Caron, Mr. Eygenraam, and Ms. Samuelson, worked tirelessly to plan and organize the event, and their efforts were supported by many other staff members and students. We were fortunate to have our Cadet students lead the flag parade, and I would like to thank our band and drama students for their valuable contributions. A highlight this year was the live trumpet performance of Reveille and The Last Post—these are challenging pieces, and it was the first time in many years that we have had the privilege of hearing a live performance. Thank you to our MCs and all the performers who worked together to make this a truly meaningful event.

I want to send out a special thank you to the families who contributed to our Gallery of Heroes. We received several submissions that added a deeper level of meaning to our tribute. Your willingness to share images and stories of your loved ones who have served in the armed forces is greatly appreciated. These contributions helped create a more meaningful and personalized slideshow for the assembly, making this Remembrance Day even more special for our community. If you would like to view the Gallery of Heroes, please follow the link:

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGV0Z_483U/vQbUTBHYRmvNsHH2ZSvxqQ/watch?utm_content=DAGV0Z_483U&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor

The ceremony was a powerful reminder of the importance of honoring those who have served our country. Thank you as well to the parents who took time out of their day to attend and show their support. As the child of parents who immigrated to Canada decades ago, Remembrance Day always reminds me of the opportunities I have been afforded through their decision to make Canada their home. While our nation’s history is not without its challenges, I remain deeply grateful for the freedoms and opportunities living in Canada provides.

On Monday evening our Boys Soccer team wrapped up their season. While they did not win their final game, they did work hard and represent our school with pride and class. Huge shout out to all our athletes on this team for their hard work, dedication and success this season. I also want to recognize our Girls Soccer team which wrapped up their season a couple weeks ago. This group of young athletes were inspiring to watch. Their coaches have noted that they were a true pleasure to

coach and that they treated each other with kindness and genuinely supported each other throughout the season demonstrating the true spirit of teamwork, demonstrating that there is far more to middle school athletics than the sport and the win. Well done soccer athletes!

I also want to take a moment to provide some staffing updates. Mr. Crabbe remains on leave and will not be returning before the Winter break. Thankfully, Ms. Kenna Williams will continue to stay with us to support our students during his absence. Similarly, Ms. Michelle Walker remains on leave and will also not return before the Winter break. During this time, Mr. Schraeder will continue to support the class for the duration of Ms. Walker's leave. Return to work dates for both leaves remain undetermined, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to maintain continuity for our students during these changes.

Looking ahead, tomorrow (Friday, November 8th) is a System Professional Learning Day. Our staff will be engaged in professional development focused on Truth and ReconciliAction. Please note that students will not have classes. Additionally, next week (November 11-13) is our Fall Break, and students will not be in school on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Regular classes will resume on Thursday, November 14th. I hope that you and your family have a chance to enjoy a restful weekend and Fall Break.

As always, if you have any questions or need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out at nmlisi@cbe.ab.ca. I wish you all a wonderful weekend and Fall Break and thank you once again for your continued support.

Warm regards,

Dr. Nancy Lisi, Principal